ladies in summer hats……a watercolor tutorial

August 01, 2016

As the summer gets hotter that hats get wider! Time for another watercolor tutorial featuring a wide brimmed summer stunner!

Step 1: Get your palette going with colors of your choice….I have chosen cool lavenders and blues with some neutral splashes of browns and greys mixed in to warm up the colors just a touch. I always use a china plate as my palette. The colors stay wet and the plate goes right into the dishwasher after use!

Step 2: Lightly outline your figure with a flesh color watercolor pencil (the outlines will gradually disappear as layers of washes are added)

Step 3: Continue to add washes of your major colors….

Step 4: Let’s give her a clutch! Start with a lavender rectangle….

Step 5: Add a bunch of squiggly lines for surface detail!

Just have fun with it!

Step 6: Begin to add facial details with a flesh toned watercolor pencil. If you make a mark you don’t like go over it with a wet paintbrush and it will disappear…

Step 7: Now add more pencil details to her dress and colorful corsage and give her hat some circular stripes….

Step 8: Before you finish do a quick once over and give her some unexpected splashes of color such as a bit of yellow to compliment her blue dress or a purple outline to her forearm….these are the details that will elevate a simple piece into a masterpiece!

Enjoy your finished painting and feel free to share this tutorial on Pinterest, Facebook or IG!